Abstract:
Objectives: To determine the prevalence, risk factors and antibiotic sensitivity of streptococcus
pneumoniae carried in the upper respiratory tract of children.
Design: A cross-sectional study on consecutive clients.
Setting: Maternal Child Health Clinic (MCH) at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in
western Kenya.
Subjects: Seventy eight of children attending Maternal Child Health Clinic between March 10 th
2003 and July 11 th 2003.
Main outcome measures: Upper airway carriage status, ventilation, housing, age, illness, sensitivity
patterns.
Results: Fifty six percent were boys; the median age was six months (range 1-42 months).
Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage rate was in 28 (35.9%) cases. Fifty two percent of S. pneumoniae
were resistant to penicillin, 25% to ampicillin and 78% to cotrimoxazole. There was signifi cant
association between the type of fl oor with pneumococcal carriage (p = 0.009) with people living in
earth fl oor houses being fi ve times more likely to be pneumococcal carriers as compared to those
living in cement fl oor houses.
Conclusions: A signifi cant resistance of S. pneumoniae to penicillin, ampicillin and cotrimoxazole was
found. Earth fl oored houses may increase susceptibility to upper airway S. pneumoniae carriage.
Recommendation: Similar studies should be conducted in other parts of Kenya in order to learn
about susceptibility patterns and associated risk factors, including fl oor type, in the country and
tailor better treatment regimens.
